CraftMAD sewing swap for March

For many years, I have been crafting with a lovely group of people over at CraftMAD mostly cardmaking, but more recently I have participated in the monthly sewing swaps.

In February the sewing swap was to send 2 Fat Quarters to our partner.

The March sewing swap was to make THIS bag and send to our partner.

This is what Mandy made for me ;-)

isn't it great - I love the sewing themed material

This is the one I made for Mandy, who loves blue and loves her cat, so I decided to use the 2 FQs I received from Wendy in the February swap for Mandy's bag. 

the straight bag

the bag all scrunched up - doesn't it look great

It is a REALLY EASY pattern too!

It's in the post and Mandy should have it any day now.

It was a coincidence that I came across this same pattern at the time I bought my new Brother sewing machine in December 2010 and had every intention of making it up ;-)

So I figure it was meant to be when it was suggested for our sewing swap at CraftMAD.

Thank you Wendy for suggesting it, and for sending me the perfect material to make Mandy's bag.

Hot Pad for Let's Exchange Swap completed

I have completed my Hot Pad for the Let's Exchange Swap arranged by Cheryll

I was really stuck for an idea, as my partner did not have a colour preference - until I started rumaging through my bits & pieces.

I found a strip heart that was partially completed and finished it off with some black & white border treatment

the back was some more black & white strips pieced

The hot pad will be in the post either tomorrow or on Monday - depending on my day.

EDITED:  Hot pad is now in the post - who is going to get it?

** Donna Summer's Hot Stuff is playing on the radio as I type this **

A Pledge and Block Swap for March

I, Cathy, pledge to do my very best to have integrity and honesty in my swap commitments. To be on time, every time, to participate in discussions and to communicate if I am going to be late or unable to complete my obligations to my swap partner.

My March partner for QBSA was the lovely Dallas, and she has sent me this gorgeous block - just love the colours

It came with a gorgeous lavender sachet too - I love lavender ;-)
thank you so much Dallas, I really do like the colours you have chosen.

This is the block I made for Dallas

A Diamond Star block from http://www.quilterscache.com/D/DiamondStarBlock.html

 

Another happy swapper ;-)

The block I made for Sue for the March BSA swap has arrived

here is the tease photo

Sue requested autumn tones - reds, oranges, yellows throw in some green and the block choice was up to me.  As Sue is making up a sampler quilt, I thought the D4P (Disappearing 4 Patch) block I recently made for Block Lotto would be perfect. 

I can't add up to save my life, so I got some help from my husband (the walking calculator) to upsize the 8 1/2 inch block to a 12 1/2 inch block.

here it is

I love the D4P - it is relatively simple to make, but looks more complicated ;-)

February block has arrived in Canada

 Shauna has advised the block I made for the February Christmas Block Swap has arrived.

Shauna requested "creator can choose pretty much anything.  Colours for blocks – anything goes"

so I made one of my favourite blocks 'Annie's Choice' in green, gold & white

here is the full block

I love how this block comes together

FNSI - 18th March 2011

yet another successful FNSI for me - which was actually started at lunch time -see THIS post

I went shopping in the morning to my LQS (Spotlight) and made good use of my voucher ;-)

black & white dots - backing for my B&W&R quilt

red check - possible backing for coin quilt

another baby panel (with owls)

a mix of some blues & yellows for stash

gorgeous leaves

blues & yellows for stash

I finished my last two March block swaps

1 for QBSA and 1 for Block Swap Adventure 

here is a tease for SueS

here is a tease for Dallas

Ladies! start your sewing machines ;-)

It's Clipsal Weekend here in Adelaide - lots of V8 cars running around the city and lots of visitors ;-)

see news story here

Whilst I don't call myself a 'rev head', I do enjoy it when the V8 race cars come to town.

It all started when Adelaide had the F1 races in the 90s.  In 1994, the company I worked for had a lottery draw for staff to spend the afternoon at the race in the Corporate Box.  I was one of the lucky ones that got selected for the day of the V8 races.

Here is my hero, Peter Brock (RIP) in action - he was too quick for me to get a photo on the track, so I took a photo of our personal monitor in our 'Corporate Box'

I love this photo of the Roulettes - this is the photo that sparked my interest in photography ;-)

The image is not the best, as it is a scanned copy of the actual photo that has been in a photo frame for a while.

Any way, enough of my waffling, now to the serious stuff ;-)

It is FNSI, and I have been able to make an early start.  Fabric is ready in the sewing room, glass of wine has been poured, sun is shining, just pausing to pick which music to listen to, then I am off and racing err, sewing ;-)

will post pics of my endeavours later

I have received my first Fat Quarter Swap ;-)

I have received my first FQs as part of the Fat Quarter Swap from the Lovely Barb

Barb included some gorgeous embroidery threads as well.

Thank you so much Barb, for making my first FQ swap so enjoyable ;-)

Auditioning Bindings

I never knew that picking a binding would prove so elusive

The top for the black & white & red quilt has been finished for a while, but I have been having difficulty deciding on a binding.  I was originally going to do solid black, but am not confident with that choice - we definitely don't want red binding.  So here is some polka dot binding - any other suggestions?

I was thinking of using a polka dot backing and think it may clash ;-(

I wanted to use a bright rainbow coloured dots/spots/stripes for the coin stack quilt and came across this one in Spotlight today - normally $9.99/m out for $7.99/m.  I had a voucher and had to use it up before it expired ;-)

I am most probably going to use a white on white backing for this one.

Another D4P for Block Lotto

I had to nip out to the shops today, and guess what?

Another red fat quarter landed in my bag, along with some other goodies ;-)

Total Blocks submitted:  5

Christmas block from Sue in WA

I have received this gorgeous block from Sue for our March Christmas Block Swap .

this block has arrived safely and securely, complete with a postcard of Perth.  I have only been to Perth once in 1986 for a belated honeymoon.  Maybe, one day I will get back there. ;-)

I just love the red fabric with the koala bears ;-)

and this one!

Perfect choices of fabric for me, I love all the gold bits ;-)

Thank you Sue!

Christmas block for Sue in WA

Sue has advised that the block I made for our March Christmas Block Swap has arrived safely.

Sue requested "Crown of Thorns 2" http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CrownofThorns2Block.html

With colour one as green xmas fabric, colour two as red xmas fabric and colour three as white.

This block was certainly a challenge for me - this was the sneak peek I posted

Here is another section of the block

I just love the green fabric ;-)

Here is the whole block - I hope Sue likes the fabrics I have chosen.

This block was a big challenge for me - I am not completely happy with the points, but I had to put it down and 'walk away' or else I would have kept unpicking and unpicking ;-)

Rain, Rain, go away, come again another day!!!

Well, we certainly got a HUGE amount of rain here in Adelaide yesterday

see this story for more details

(FYI - I live in the northern suburbs and we had 51 mm/2 inches in just a few hours)

I had plans to go to the city to meet a girlfriend for lunch, but got absolutely soaked on the way to the bus stop, broke a shoe, and got a blister from where my wet shoes were rubbing.

Not Happy Jan!!!

I hobbled back home and we have made plans to catch up next week.

When I went to the letterbox this morning,
a damp package was waiting for me ;-(

It was the block from Sue for Block Swap Adventure.

Unfortunately, the terrible weather has taken it's toll on the block ;-(

The reds have run ;-(

On a positive note, I do so love the fabric with the gold words ;-)

1 block swap down - 2 to go

I have made an early start on my March swap blocks ;-)

For the Christmas Block Swap, here is a sneak peek for Sue of WA

sue, your block is in the mail

2 more blocks to make - 1 for QBSA and 1 for Block Swap Adventure